The sun was in the process of setting when the Village began to get a bit more active as all of the Goblins out training in the surrounding forest began to return to the Village.

  Eventually after everyone got a chance to rest, a meeting was called in the conference room.

  Rick, Rogu, Jaba, Tars, Geedi, Dal, Sigi and Lagi. With the latter two now Tier Two Hobgoblins and Rick’s attendants.

  POV Rick

  “Alright, glad everyone could make it. We have a lot to discuss so get comfortable.”

  [You’re getting rather comfortable with talking in front of others.]

  ‘Well, I’ve had to do it quite a lot recently but for some reason it does feel a lot easier than it did before. Even the embarrassment I was feeling from everyone stare at me when I first evolved began to lessen a bit, and I don’t think it’s just because I got comfy with it.’

  [Perhaps something to do with evolution. You do appear a bit more regal now. Though this is something else for later, they’re waiting on you.]

  “Ahem…so things have changed. To make a long story short, we are no longer welcomed in the Nameless Forest. Our neighbor who sleeps in the lake has made its intentions known and apparent.

  “It does not want us here. And unfortunately for us, we don’t have the means to dissuade it from such a decision. Nor do we have the means to truly stand our ground and fight for the right to remain here.

  “Not when the Orcs themselves will soon be bearing down on us. We don’t know when they will do so, only that that it is very likely to happen. In fact, our neighbor in the lake all but confirmed that it would indeed happen.

  “It will likely be a force that could wipe us all out in a heartbeat. Not something we can fight or successfully defend against. Of course, both of these things places us in a very hard place. A monster of a creature that leaves in the lake has given us the ultimatum to leave, while another monster of a creature is heading this way with an entire force with their only goal in mind being to wipe us out in out entirety.

  “Being wiped out to the last Goblin cannot happen. This cannot happen. At all. Which makes the next decision we have to make really simple. We have to leave the forest completely. I don’t want to leave. Nor do I like the idea of running away from a fight without even trying.

  “Maybe if it was just myself then I could’ve tried, but that’s not the case here. I have to take the entire Village into account and with that in mind it’s easy to realize that we cannot stay here. I don’t know exactly where to go but it cannot be here.

  “Now with that being said, I don’t have a perfect destination in mind, but I know which direction we could move in. We cannot head south as there is a massive mountain range to our backs. We cannot head to the west because that will just be delivering ourselves to the den of our enemies.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  “We cannot head east because we don’t know what lies behind the easter side of the forest, nor do we know just how long it would take to travel in that direction far enough to exit. What we definitely do know is that there are a host of Tier Fives in that direction. It would be extremely challenging to even attempt to being to the entire Village past that point.

  “That leaves us with only one choice. The north. We have no choice but to head north and leave the forest behind completely.

  “We know Rogu, and his team entered the forest from the North so there’s a clear exit path for us to take there. So Rogu now this is where you come in. On your journey here, did you happen to find anywhere that would be a fitting place to move the entire Village?”

  “My Lord…” Rogu seemed to be thinking about the entire journey he took to reach the forest as he closed his eyes to think.

  “There are no perfect places were you we would truly be able to plant roots. In fact, the majority of the journey here took place in or near hostile territory.”

  ‘Rogu explained the path a bit once before, but I was hoping he would have something in mind potentially.’

  [Obviously our entire experience thus far has only been in this forest, but it is likely that places this devoid of human or otherwise sentient communities is likely few are far between.

  [Of course, this is only an assumption based on some of Rogu’s statements, and the conversation you had with the one in your dream. The Nameless Forest is unique in such a way that it is a rich forest filled with bountiful resources, but the slumbering Serpent admitted that they have squashed all attempts at settlement development.

  [I doubt we are able to quickly find a land as rich in resources, and as vast in land as the Nameless Forests, while also not being an already deeply occupied zone in a relatively quick time.

  [There are likely an untold amount of trials and tribulations in your future as you move the Village and all its inhabitants.]

  ‘I know… yet we have no choice but to face them with all we have. Surely not everywhere is home to a Serpent that is at least Tier Seven and wishes to have no friendly neighbors at all. There has to be a place we can root ourselves and grow.

  ‘There just has to be Velora. We have no choice but to make that a reality.’

  [Then all you can do is push forward regardless of any potential risks.]

  ‘Which is exactly what we will do.’

  “Rogu. I understand, but we have no choice, it’s either stay here and fight to the death against enemies that are far stronger than us, or we take a chance and live to fight another day. I would much rather the second option and that is what we will do. Are you with me?”

  “I will aways be with you My Lord.”

  “Good. Take a good long moment to think of potential areas we can settle. Jaba, how long will it take to get the Village packed up with all of our essentials and prepare for a move that could very well take months?”

  “Chief, based on the report I got on how the travel from the plains went with less Goblins than we have now, I would assume it will likely take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months just to make sure all of our logistics are in order, and we can move efficiently.

  “It’s one thing to just get up and start moving, but to make sure even the weakest of us can survive a journey through untested lands where resources might be scarce and we have no idea how long it would take, it would take some time to make sure we are ready for that. Especially since we’ve never had to do that before.

  “I understand, but we don’t know how much time we have left. Start with all of our essentials first and make sure we can survive a few weeks at minimum. Once we reach that mark you can start preparing for other non-critical items and a longer timeframe.

  “No more training trips for now and bring back most of our scouts. All of this Village will be working together to accomplish this. I will go speak to the Fox to let him know our plans to travel through his section of the forest.

  “Let’s make Gang Green proud.”

  [You really didn’t have to add that.]